Following Costa Rica's decision to impose requirements on the entry of avocados grown in Honduras, Costa Rican businessmen believe that these unilateral measures could generate trade retaliation for the country.
Arguing that molecular biology tests detected the presence of the Avocado Sunblotch viroid in shipments from Honduras, the Costa Rican State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) decided to start taking samples to analyze Honduran avocados.
Arguing that through molecular biology tests the presence of the Avocado Sunblotch viroid was detected in shipments from Honduras, Costa Rican authorities decided to impose requirements on the entry of the fruit produced in Honduran territory.
Fernando Araya, Director of the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE), confirmed on May 25, 2021 that "... from this moment on, when samples are taken for analysis by the Molecular Biology Laboratory of avocado shipments from Honduras, these will be retained and will be released once a negative result for Avocado Sunblotch viroid (ASBVd) is obtained. The above in compliance with the responsibility to prevent the introduction and spread of pests that threaten food security and economic activity based on agricultural production."
Arguing that quality and health standards are not being met, Salvadoran farmers are asking for greater controls on milk products entering from Nicaragua and Honduras.
CentralAmericaData reports that from January to September 2019 El Salvador was the main buyer of milk and dairy products from the other Central American countries, importing $106 million, of which $78 million was bought from Nicaragua, $14 million from Costa Rica and another $13 million from Honduras.
Since Costa Rica suspended the entry of Hass avocado from Mexico, countries such as Chile, Peru and Nicaragua have taken advantage of the situation to increase their exports to the Costa Rican market.
The dispute that is still unresolved dates back several years, when in May 2014 the Costa Rican authorities decided to ban the import of avocado from Mexico, arguing the existence of the disease called sunspot.
The National Port Company Santo Tomás de Castilla de Guatemala tenders the placement of containment barriers to tankers docked at the dock of the company's premises.
Guatemala Government Purchase 10264922:
"Service of placing containment barriers to tankers moored at the dock of the national port company Santo Tomás de Castilla. The service object of this tender will be provided at: the berth designated for the provision of the service of loading and unloading of liquid bulk of the Company.
Despite the fact that in December it was announced that a WTO panel would be formed to solve Mexico's complaint against Costa Rica, this was only established on May 16 and in the next few days’ meetings will begin to set the calendar for the process.
The unresolved conflict dates back several years, in May 2014, when Costa Rican authorities decided to ban the import of avocado from Mexico, arguing the existence of the disease called sunspot.
Panama notified the international organization of its decision to initiate a safeguard investigation into certain cuts of fresh, chilled or frozen pork.
According to Resolution No. 003 of May 3, 2019, published in the Gaceta Oficial (Official Gazette), the Panamanian government ordered "to begin an investigation for the possible imposition of safeguard measures to the product Pork meat, fresh, chilled or frozen; in carcasses or half carcasses, bone-in or boneless, fit for human consumption, requested by the Asociación Nacional de Porcinoculturoes de Panamá (ANAPOR)."
The government ordered the start of an administrative investigation to determine whether safeguard measures on pork imports are warranted.
According to Resolution No. 003 of May 3, 2019, published in La Gaceta Oficial, "it is ordered to initiate an investigation for the possible imposition of safeguard measures to the product Meat of pigs, fresh, chilled or frozen; in carcasses or half carcasses, bone-in or boneless, fit for human consumption, requested by the National Association of Pig Producers of Panama (ANAPOR)."
The barriers imposed by the Honduran and Panamanian markets, coupled with the negative effect of the recent tax reform, force Nicaraguan cattle ranchers to predict a bleak future.
Figures from the National Livestock Commission of Nicaragua (Conagan) specify that between 2017 and 2018 meat exports from Nicaragua fell by 7.9%, from $587 million to $541 million, and in the case of dairy, the fall was 8.4%, going down from $177 million to $162 million.
Mexico asks to inspect Costa Rican farms to determine if it is true that the sustain is not in the crops, to which local producers oppose.
In December 2018, the phytosanitary and livestock authorities of Costa Rica and Mexico agreed on a procedure to end almost four years of trade conflict, which arose from the barriers imposed on the entry of avocado to the Costa Rican market.
The Panamanian government's decision to raise the tariff on meat imported from Nicaragua from 3% to 30% to allow local producers to compete has so far shown no clear results.
In September 2018, the Panamanian government decided to establish barriers to the entry of Nicaraguan beef by raising the import tariff from 3% to 30%. This has not had the expected effects, as the prices paid to local producers have not risen.
Authorities from both countries agreed that Costa Rica would accept avocado from Mexico, as long as it has a phytosanitary certificate indicating that the shipment is "symptom-free."
The State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) of Costa Rica, managed to agree in December 2018 with the new Mexican authorities, the procedure to end almost four years of trade conflict, which emerged from the barriers imposed on the entry of avocado to the Costa Rican market.
The WTO was part of the panel of experts that will resolve Mexico's lawsuit against Costa Rica, arising from the barriers imposed by the Costa Rican authorities to import the fruit.
The trade conflict emerged because of the barriers that Costa Rica imposes since 2014 to the entry of avocado from Mexico. Because the dispute remains unresolved, the authorities of the North American country requested last November 27 to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to submit the case to an arbitration panel.
Because of the problem of the barriers that Costa Rica has imposed since 2014 to the entry of avocado from Mexico remains unsolved, the Mexican authorities asked the WTO to refer the case to an arbitration panel.
The blockade of the Mexican avocado does not end. The Ministry of Foreign Trade (Comex) reported that Mexico requested the WTO to establish a panel of arbitrators to solve the dispute.
As a result of barriers imposed by El Salvador on dairy products from Nicaragua and the crisis in the country, in the first half of the year sales reports showed a year-on-year fall of 9%.
According to statistics from the Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN) in the first six months of the year cheese exports totaled $54 million, 9% less than the $60 million recorded in the same period in 2017.
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